D Y I N G | Taylor Swift • Kaylor

Chapter six

While Taylor listens to the rhythmic ringing, her thumb hovers over the red button.

Closer.

Almost there-

Too late.

'Hello?'

The words Taylor had so carefully laid out in her head vanish in an instant, swept away by the gentle murmur on the other end. Karlie's voice - familiar, yet somehow different - softer maybe, a little tinged with time - still has the same effect.

Taylor manages to force a breathy 'Hi,' past the lump in her throat, then bites her lip because she wants to do better, needs to do better. 'Sorry, I just thought, I mean, you said I could call you, and I know you were probably sleeping, but-'

A laugh cuts through her anxious rambling. 'Tay, stop. It's alright. I'm glad you called,' which causes the tightness in Taylor's chest to loosen a bit, and after a brief silence,

'Is there something specific you wanna talk about?'

Yes.

'No.' Taylor shifts onto her side. 'I just couldn't sleep.'

'Right,' Karlie chuckles. 'And you think I can somehow help with that?'

'Yeah, actually, you can. Could you maybe just... talk? I don't care about what, really. Just... anything.'

Is that weird?

'Oh, okay.' For a few moments, only Karlie's breathing fills the line. 'I could tell you something about my kids? Would that be okay?'

No.

'Yes.'

'It's totally fine if it's not. I can talk about something else.'

Please.

'No, I want to hear it.'

Liar.

There is a short silence in which Karlie seems to hesitate, carefully gauging her response. But Taylor must have sound convincing enough.

'Alright, I think I'm just gonna start, but you can cut me off anytime, you hear me?' Taylor hums, and Karlie clears her throat. 'Okay, so, as you may know, there is Levi - Levi Joseph, but I call him Levi. Or Lee. Or Tiger.' A short pause. 'He's the cutest and has the wildest curls, seriously. But right now, I'm so heartbroken because he wants to cut them off.' Karlie laughs. 'And I can't exactly say no, because he's two, and I'm trying to teach him, 'his body, his rules,' you know?'

Even while Karlie is speaking, Taylor feels a heaviness settle into the pit of her stomach. She pictures it: a tiny human being, a spitting image of Karlie, curly-haired and full of life. It's everything Karlie ever dreamed of.

'He's really into dinosaurs and nature these days. Especially insects. He's not even afraid of spiders. I would say I'm totally fine with it, but his new obsession is to collect them and bring them into the house.'

Karlie pauses, perhaps waiting for a reaction. When there isn't one, she continues.

'Anyway, he's the sweetest little boy, and he loves listening to your music.'

Taylor's heart swells. 'Really?'

'Don't sound so surprised. Your music's amazing.'

'I'm just surprised you showed him,' Taylor admits quietly.

'There's no reason why I shouldn't. Besides, you're everywhere these days.' Another laugh, this time strangled - almost forced.

Taylor nibbles at her cuticles, gathering all her courage. 'Does he know about us?' The question comes sudden and sharp - unexpected. For both of them. Taylor can almost hear Karlie's mouth opening and closing, no sound coming past her lips. Taylor knows what Karlie assumes she meant.